One method for increasing the feedstocks suitable for production of fuels can be to use cracking to convert higher boiling petroleum feeds to lower boiling products. For example, distillate boiling range feeds can be hydrocracked to generate additional naphtha boiling range products.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,663 describes an integrated process for hydrocracking and catalytic dewaxing of middle distillates. An initial feed is hydrocracked to produce at least a middle distillate stream having a boiling range from 232° C.-450° C. This middle distillate stream is then dewaxed. Some naphtha boiling range compounds are also produced, but an amount of conversion to lower boiling products is not specified.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,824 describes a process for upgrading hydrocarbons to produce a distillate product and a high octane naphtha product. An initial feed suitable for distillate production is split into a lower boiling fraction and a higher boiling fraction at a cut point between about 500° C. and 800° C. The higher boiling fraction is hydrocracked. The fractions are combined after hydrocracking for dewaxing. Because the lower boiling portion is not hydrocracked, the method has a substantial distillate yield.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,858 describes a process for converting hydrocarbon feedstocks into middle distillate products. A feedstock is first treated with an aqueous acid solution. The feedstock is then subjected to hydrocracking and dewaxing. The target product appears to be a distillate product with a boiling range between 149° C. and 300° C.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0159489 describes a process for making high energy distillate fuels. A highly aromatic feedstream is contacted with a hydrotreating catalyst, hydrocracking catalyst, and dewaxing catalyst in a single stage reactor. At least a portion of the highly aromatic stream is converted to a jet fuel or diesel product.